Just arrived Home from 1st Ever Cruise !!

[Clio1610]

Freedom of the Seas - 12th April - Western Caribbean - D1 cat Balcony Stateroom Deck 9.....

 

What a wonderful experience !!!

 

Everything was FAB - except we only have 1 Complaint......

 

When we boarded we CLEARLY authorised and marked on the form for "my Credit Card company to convert my onboard charges to GB Pounds in lieu of participating in the RCI currency conversion program" (as advised by kind CC Members prior to our cruise...)

 

However at 06:30 on the morning of our disembarkation, this had been completely ignored and our printed SeaPass account stated the following... "You have elected to have Royal Caribbean convert your onboard charges to the currency of your credit card. Your statement reflects the charge as it will appear on your credit card statement - 1 USD = .6998 GBP........"

 

I was understandably upset by this and went straight down to the Customer Relations Desk on Deck 5 and was told (by Santiago Lomello - Guest Services Officer) that they couldn't do anything about it and that my best course of action was to call my credit card company and tell them to reject the charge from RCI and to then accept it only in $'s !!!

 

We then got off the ship, drove back up to Orlando to our timeshare and called our credit card company in the UK who told us that by law now, they are not allowed to reject any credit card charges and that the payment has already gone through ! they also told us that if we have given anyone our credit card number, then we have authorised any charges to it.... we explained - but to no avail.....So we then called Royal Caribbean International Head Office in Miami, but was told that they couldn't help us as our booking had been made through our Travel Agent with RCI UK Office and we had to call them.....

 

So yesterday (Fri 24th) after we arrived back home in the UK, I telephoned Royal Caribbean in the UK and spoke to CHRIS who was most apologetic and helpful and agreed with me that RCI had made a mistake in ignoring my written authorisation at Miami Cruise Port at embarkation ! He then did a quick calculation and worked out the difference in overcharge on my card to what it should have been and said he will send me a cheque for the difference within 10-14 days - This was EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE !!!!!!!

 

So Folks - as this was our first ever Cruise, (Hub, Me & 12 yr old Son) we will be very happy to answer any questions you may have !!!!!

[andy03]

Hi we too are sailing on our 1st cruise who do you inform about having credit into pounds

[Clio1610]

Hi we too are sailing on our 1st cruise who do you inform about having credit into pounds

 

Hi Andy!

 

You don't say which Cruise Line you are sailing with so I can only speak from my experience with Royal Caribbean - at the Check-in desk at Miami Cruise Port we were given some paperwork, one of which was "Charge Account" Information. On here we had to fill in the information regarding our Credit Card as the ship was "cashless" and everything was charged to our SeaPass Account which was then debited to our credit card. On this sheet of paper there were 2 options - Option A which said "I choose to pay my onboard charges in the currency of my card. i.e. I choose to use Royal Caribbean International currency conversion program" & Option B which said "I choose to have my credit card issuer convert my onboard charges to the currency of my card in lieu of participating in the Royal Caribbean International currency conversion program" We placed our tick in the Option B box - However, we now realise that we should have completely crossed out the Option A box......

Hope this helps !

 

Let me know if you have any more questions - I can provide you with my email address if you need it.....

[wrp96]

The best thing to do is go down the last night of the cruise and remind them that they are NOT supposed to do this. Unfortunately, they seem to frequently ignore people's instructions on this issue.

[debbymark]

thanks for you good explanation. I printed my seapass last night and was not sure which box to pick so I put a line straight through A and tic B. Is that correct. we are going with royal Caribbean. Thanks

[debbymark]

WRP. it customer services we go to remind them about whicj currency to charge our credit card.?

[wrp96]

WRP. it customer services we go to remind them about whicj currency to charge our credit card.?

 

 

Guest relations.

[debbymark]

clio. what was wrong with Royal Caribbean rate of exchange as today it is $1 = 68p

[silentbob007]

This seems to be a common "mistake" made by the company ... I guess they like to try to get that conversion cash whenever they can figuring people won't put in the effort to correct them.

[Clio1610]

clio. what was wrong with Royal Caribbean rate of exchange as today it is $1 = 68p

 

Hi Debbymark, the RCI Currency Conversion program conversion rate was quoted on my Seapass account as 1 USD = .6998 GBP...... When I rang RCI in the UK to let them know that the check-in desk at Miami Cruise Port had ignored my original authorisation, CHRIS gave me a rate of 1 USD = 1.477 GBP - so it was well worth my time making that call methinks !!!!

[debbymark]

clio, it all confuses me. I have put a line through option A and have tic B is that correct?

I am going next Monday.

Thanks for putting up with me

[Clio1610]

clio, it all confuses me. I have put a line through option A and have tic B is that correct?

I am going next Monday.

Thanks for putting up with me

 

No problem debbymark !

 

And Yes you are correct !!! you have to make sure that you cross out OPTION A (because this is the default option for RCI) and place a Big Tick next to Option B - After my recent experience and hassle - the next time I check in at the Cruise Port I will make sure that I also TELL THE CHECK-IN OFFICER about my instruction NOT TO USE RCI's Currency Conversion Program then, hopefully they will take notice of my authorised instructions !!!

 

If you have any further questions, I will be happy to answer them for you and can provide my email address if you need it !!!

[cruiserbryce]

too bad about the conversion issues...but glad you enjoyed your trip. Thats a great class of ship...hoping to get back on it someday.

[Sekhmet]

Has happened to us too. We now do a three-fold check - firstly, fill in the tickboxes, and colour them with a highlighter pen, secondly, bring the choice to the attention of the check-in staff, and thirdly confirm with Purser/Guest relations during the cruise (not at the end). So far, this has worked.

 

OT - whereabouts in Worcester clio?

[suvicki]

Hi Debbymark, the RCI Currency Conversion program conversion rate was quoted on my Seapass account as 1 USD = .6998 GBP...... When I rang RCI in the UK to let them know that the check-in desk at Miami Cruise Port had ignored my original authorisation, CHRIS gave me a rate of 1 USD = 1.477 GBP - so it was well worth my time making that call methinks !!!!

 

Hi Clio

That is quite a difference.

I just looked at an online currency converter and it said 1 USD =0.681 GBP and 1 GBP = 1.446 USD

Are you sure that CHRIS didn't mix these up when speaking to you? I hope he didn't and you get that great rate.

I have been read this thread with interest as our first cruise is coming up and want the best rates I can get.

 

Have you done a reveiw of your cruise as I would love to read it.

[Clio1610]

Has happened to us too. We now do a three-fold check - firstly, fill in the tickboxes, and colour them with a highlighter pen, secondly, bring the choice to the attention of the check-in staff, and thirdly confirm with Purser/Guest relations during the cruise (not at the end). So far, this has worked.

 

OT - whereabouts in Worcester clio?

 

Hi Sekhmet !

 

A Couple of miles from Junc 7 M5 !!

[Clio1610]

Hi Clio

That is quite a difference.

I just looked at an online currency converter and it said 1 USD =0.681 GBP and 1 GBP = 1.446 USD

Are you sure that CHRIS didn't mix these up when speaking to you? I hope he didn't and you get that great rate.

I have been read this thread with interest as our first cruise is coming up and want the best rates I can get.

 

Have you done a reveiw of your cruise as I would love to read it.

 

Hi Suvicki !

 

I shall wait with interest for the cheque to arrive from Chris !! I'll let you know !!

 

And Yes, I shall be posting a review, I was very good onboard and kept a daily journal.... Haven't got around to it yet as we only got back in the UK on Fri (24th) and I am still trying to catch up with washing/ironing and trying to cope with AWFUL Jet-lag - I do wish I could sleep on a plane !!!!!

 

I will try to post the review within the next few days.......

[gmac123]

Hi everyone,

 

We are going on our first cruise in July on Legend of the seas Italy and Croatia.

 

We have been reading all the posts with interest and learning lots.

 

We are based in the UK and I had not given the currency a thought. For the on board costs will we be charged in euros or do we have a choice?

 

Thanks Gmac

[Clio1610]

Hi everyone,

 

We are going on our first cruise in July on Legend of the seas Italy and Croatia.

 

We have been reading all the posts with interest and learning lots.

 

We are based in the UK and I had not given the currency a thought. For the on board costs will we be charged in euros or do we have a choice?

 

Thanks Gmac[/quote

 

Hi gmac123 !

 

As previously stated my only cruising experience is with RCI around the Caribbean, but I would imagine that the same rules apply for the Med Cruises.....

 

Just make sure that YOU DO NOT USE the RCI Currency Conversion Program as it would not be in your favour !!! The best option is to authorise to use your credit card issuer to do the conversion.... or of course, pay your Sea Pass Account in Cash at the end of your Cruise.....

 

Happy Cruising !!